Thermosolutal-convective instability of a stellar atmosphere in the presence of suspended particles

Thermosolutal-convective instability of a stellar atmosphere is considered in the presence of suspended particles. The criteria for monotonic instability are derived which are found to hold good in the presence of uniform rotation and uniform magnetic field, separately, on the thermosolutal-convective instability in the presence of suspended particles.     

Improved Algorithms for the Measurement of Total Precipitable Water and Cloud Liquid Water from SARAL Microwave Radiometer Observations

SARAL carried onboard a radar altimeter that provides very precise measurements of the sea surface height (SSH). Like other altimetric missions, SARAL carries a passive microwave radiometer (PMR) for wet tropospheric correction to SSH. In the present study, new algorithms are developed for the retrieval of cloud liquid water (CLW) and total precipitable water vapor (TPW) over the global oceans from PMR measurements of the brightness temperatures. A radiative transfer and genetic algorithm based retrieval scheme is proposed for the estimation of CLW and TPW from SARAL PMR. The comparisons of CLW from PMR with independent measurements from GPM-GMI and SSMIS within and outside ±40° latitudes show correlation (R) of 0.86 and 0.83, bias of 0.7 and ?3.61?mg/cm², and root mean square error (RMSE) of 8.42 and 8.07?mg/cm², respectively. Similarly, TPW from PMR with GPM-GMI and SSMIS show R of 0.99 and 0.98, bias of ?0.04 and ?0.03?g/cm² and RMSE of 0.17 and 0.17?g/cm², respectively. The retrieval accuracy of CLW and TPW from the new algorithms is compared with these parameters provided in the SARAL geophysical data records as finished products, which showed substantial improvement in the quality of the parameters from the new algorithm.     

Comparison of Fusion Techniques for Very High Resolution Data for Extraction of Urban Land-Cover

This paper aims in presenting a thorough comparison of performance of pan sharpening techniques, belonging to spatial, spectral, scale-space and spatial-frequency domain, for Very High Resolution Satellite Data. With the availability of new Very High Resolution sensors, especially, World View-2 sensor, which provides data at sub-meter level, the need for fusion of Panchromatic (PAN) and Multispectral (MS) images has to be further investigated. Pan-sharpening techniques namely, Hue-Saturation-Intensity, Brovey Transform, Principal Components Analysis, Discrete Wavelet Transform, Stationary Wavelet Transform, Non Sub-sampled contourlet Transform and Pseudo Wigner Distribution (PWD) fusion method have been selected for the fusion of PAN and MS images of World View-2 sensor. Further, the comparison of performance of each of the techniques have been carried out by using various evaluation indicators, such as, Root Mean Square Error, Peak Signal-to-Noise Ratio, Correlation Coefficient, Universal Image Quality Index. It is found that PWD based fusion technique gives good result with a good trade-off between the preservation of spectral information and enhancement of spatial resolution.     

Atmospheric abundance of HULIS during wintertime in Indo-Gangetic Plain: impact of biomass burning emissions

This study reports for the first-time the ambient concentrations of HULIS mass (HULIS-OM, Humic-like substances) and HULIS-C (carbon) in PM₁₀ (particulate matter with aerodynamic diameter?≤?10 μm) from the Indo-Gangetic Plain (IGP at Kanpur, wintertime). HULIS extraction followed by purification and isolation protocol with methanol: acetonitrile (1:1 v/v) on HLB (Hydrophilic-Lipophilic Balanced) cartridge has been established. Quantification of HULIS-C was achieved on a total organic carbon (TOC) analyser whereas HULIS-OM was determined gravimetrically. Consistently high recovery (> 90%) of HULIS-C based on analysis of Humic standard (sodium salt of Humic acid) suggested suitability of our established analytical protocol involving solvent extraction, purification and accurate quantification of HULIS. HULIS-OM varied from 17.3–38 μg m^?3 during daytime and from 19.8–40.6 μg m^?3 during night in this study. During daytime the HULIS-OM constituted 20–30% mass fraction of OM_Total and 10–15% of PM₁₀ mass. However, a relatively low contribution of HULIS-OM has been observed during the night. This observation has been attributed to higher concentrations of OM and PM₁₀ in night owing to nighttime chemical reactivity and condensation of organics in conjunction with shallower planetary boundary layer height. Strong correlation of HULIS-C with K⁺_BB (R²?>?0.80) and significant day-night variability of HULIS-C/WSOC ratio in conjunction with air-mass back trajectories (showing transport of pollutants from upwind IGP) suggest biomass burning emission and secondary transformations as important sources of HULIS over IGP. High-loading of atmospheric PM₁₀ (as high as 440 μg m^?3) with significant contribution of water-soluble organic aerosols (WSOC/OC: ~ 0.40–0.80) during wintertime highlights their plausible potential role in fog and haze formation and their impact on regional-scale atmospheric radiative forcing over the IGP.     

Tomographic approach for gas hydrate investigation in Kerala-Konkan region,India

Seismic tomography is an effective means of estimating velocity and structure from multichannel seismic (MCS) reflection data. In this study we have followed a 2D approach to arrive at the probable velocity field configuration from multichannel seismic data and infer the presence of gas hydrates/free-gas in the offshore Kerala-Konkan region, along the eastern part of a seismic line on which a bottom simulating reflector (BSR) has previously been identified. Tomographic modeling consists of the identification of reflection phases and picking of respective travel times for various source-receiver positions. These picks were then utilized to arrive at a 2D velocity field following a forward and inversion approach using a ray tracing technique. The modeling for the first time brought out the finer scale velocity structure under the region of investigation. Modeling through the 2D approach shows lateral variation in velocity field along the studied segment of the seismic line. The results indicate a thin (∼50–60 m) sedimentary cover with velocity ranging from 1,770 to 1,850 m/s. A sedimentary layer with high P-wave velocity 1,980–2,100 m/s below the sea floor was interpreted as the hydrate layer. The thickness of this layer varies between 110 and 140 m. The hydrate layer is underlain by a low-velocity layer having velocities in the range 1,660–1,720 m/s. This low velocity may represent a free gas layer, whose thickness varies between 50 and 100 m located below the hydrated layer. The investigation suggests the occurrence of gas hydrate underlain by free gas in some parts of the Kerala-Konkan offshore region.     

Two-dimensional elastic anisotropic/AVO modelling for the identification of BSRs in marine sediments using multicomponent receivers

In seismic sections, the presence of a gas hydrate stability zone (GHSZ) is often marked by a bottom-simulating reflector, which has a negative polarity with respect to the seafloor. The present study reveals the response of seismic wave characteristics and amplitude versus offset (AVO) effects of large offset compressional (P) and converted (PS) waves for a GHSZ/free-gas configuration, using a two-dimensional elastic anisotropic modelling technique. The modelling results would provide a priori information, which allows unique determination of parameters of seismic models for the design of ocean bottom seismometer experiments over continental margins for the purpose of gas hydrate exploration. The AVO analyses on long offset P and PS waves based on synthetic data yield a typical gas hydrate/free-gas response, as the reflectivity increases with incidence angle.     

Thermal-convective instability of a composite rotating stellar atmosphere in the presence of a variable magnetic field,medium permeability and solute gradient

The thermal-convective instability of a composite rotating stellar atmosphere in the presence of a variable horizontal magnetic field is considered to include, separately, the effects of medium permeability and solute gradient. The criteria for monotonic instability in each case have been obtained which generalize the Defouw's criterion derived for thermal-convective instability in the absence of above effects.     

Gravitational instability of a composite and rotating plasma in the presence of a variable magnetic field through a porous medium

The gravitational instability of an infinite homogeneous self-gravitating plasma through porous medium is considered to include, separately, the effects due to rotation and collisions between ionized and neutral components. The dispersion relations are obtained in both cases. It is found that the gravitational instability of a composite and rotating plasma in the presence of a variable horizontal magnetic field through porous medium is determined by the Jeans's criterion.     

Evaluation of groundwater quality for irrigation and drinking using GIS and geostatistics in a peri-urban area of Delhi, India

Intensive agriculture by indiscriminate use of agrochemicals, sewage water, and polluted drain water has posed a serious threat to groundwater quality in some peri-urban areas of Delhi like Najafgarh block. The objective of the study was to determine the groundwater quality and to map their spatial variation in terms of suitability for irrigation and drinking purpose. Ordinary kriging method was used for preparation of thematic maps of groundwater quality parameters such as electrical conductivity, sodium adsorption ratio, bicarbonate, magnesium/calcium ratio, total dissolved solids, chloride, nitrate and hardness. Exponential semivariogram model was best fitted for all quality parameters except chloride and hardness, where spherical model fitted best. Pollution level was highest at south and south-eastern part of the study area. Better quality groundwater may be expected at the northern and western part. High salinity was due to high chloride concentration in the groundwater. Nitrate pollution level was found to be very alarming and need immediate interventions. High dissolved solids and hardness made the groundwater unsuitable for drinking. There were negligible sodium and bicarbonate hazard in the study area. The groundwater quality index was devised to analyse the combined impact of different quality parameters on irrigation and drinking purposes. The irrigation water quality index and drinking water quality index distribution maps delineated an area of 47.29 and 6.54 km² suitable for irrigation and drinking, respectively. These safe zones were found as a small strip along the northern boundary and a very small pocket at the western side of the study area.